Current weather

Band's latest definitely worth second chance

Random Sampling

Posted: Thursday, December 03, 2009

By SAM BISHOP

When Glaswegian pop quintet Camera Obscura released "My Maudlin Career" back in April, the supporting tour only brought the band as close to town as Atlanta. It was a tough call back then whether to review, and unfortunately, they lost out to Sonic Youth that week (who also were not performing anywhere near the Classic City - where's the logic there, right?).

Be it earnest enjoyment or a lasting guilt, but flash forward to year's end, and this reviewer hasn't been able to stop listening to "My Maudlin Career." Thankfully, tonight's 40 Watt show - their final U.S. tour stop so, umm, go - brings sweet relief and a second chance to wax enthusiastically about this record.

The Songs Selected

"French Navy" (Track 1) Some bands like to make you work for it, but Camera Obscura cut to the chase by putting their first single at the top of the record. From an analog perspective, it's a risky ploy (the digital perspective says it doesn't matter) but, given the strength of the larger album, it's one that pays off. Singer Tracyanne Campbell wastes no time in entangling and endearing with the natural yearning of her unique and heavily accented voice.

That the brass and string arrangements are reminiscent of fellow Scots Belle and Sebastian only works in "French Navy's" favor.

"Swans" (5) This song probably has nothing to do with Liverpool's The Wild Swans, but the opening guitar riff and subsequent refrain are so pleasantly reminiscent of that act's knack for candy-coated guitar hooks, it's hard to believe it's merely coincidence.

The number also boasts one of the record's finer lines: "No surprises in my record collection/you must have thought I was someone else."

"Away with Murder" (4) This sweetly downbeat song has an almost old-school country and western vibe, almost like an obscure Patsy Cline cover. The shuffling beat and spectral guitar and keyboards work in tandem with Campbell's melancholy melody to hypnotic effect.

"Other Towns and Cities" (10) While by no means a "go-to" track, this lullaby is an excellent example of Campbell's gift for crafting seemingly effortless melodies. Maybe it's the dance hall reverb that coats much of the album, but on this song in particular, it is easy to imagine Camera Obscura in a live setting, with this quieter track acting as an aural palette cleanser between more robust numbers.

Beyond the Sample

Losing one's place in "My Maudlin Career" is not that difficult; the album's tonal shifts from song to song are subtle. In an album packed through and through with solid selections, though, there still are standouts: the last-ditch hopefulness of the title track; the lovelorn, Trashcan Sinatras-esque ballad "James"; the brass-heavy, Northern Soul choruses of "Honey in the Sun"; and the heart-rending strings on "Careless," just to name a few, help elevate "My Maudlin Career" into not only a highly enjoyable record, but one with staying power.

• Bishop is a former Athenian living in D.C., where he fronts the band Lejeune. He does record reviews via "shuffle" mode.